Fr. Ronnie Bonneau, C.Ss.R., Assistant Novice Director

Friday, the 20th of May, was a very important date here in Toronto at the North American Novitiate of the Redemptorists, not only because it was our monthly retreat day, but mostly because it was the day on which our novices were officially invested with the Redemptorist habit. The habits, whose confection was overseen at the Redemptoristine monastery in Beacon, NY by Sr. Linda, O.Ss.R., had arrived about a week before. Two nights before the investiture they were given to the novices and Fr. Ray Douziech, the director of the novitiate and I taught the novices how to apply the white collar to the habit and how to wear the rosary. It was a happy and exciting evening. Some of the rosaries had been made by the novices themselves with the instruction and help of Fr. Santo Arrigo (thanks, Fr. Santo), others used rosaries that had already been made.

Now back to Friday, the 20th. It had been a day of silent reflection with the conference being on the “True Redemptorist” by our founder, St. Alphonsus. At 4:30 p.m. we met in the chapel. The novices were holding their folded habits, cinctures and rosaries, the blessing of these was held in a short ceremony prior to the celebration of the Eucharist. Besides the directors we were graced with the presence of Kathy McMerty, secretary to Fr. Mark Miller, Provincial, Fr. Jim Mason, C.Ss.R., and Bro. Raymond Pierce, C.Ss.R.; all of the professed Redemptorists wore our own habits. After the blessing the novices were asked to put on their habits, with the aid of the professed confreres present. Our chapel was filled with a great feeling of pride and love for the Congregation. Even we more elderly members experienced (at least I did) a tinge of pride and joy in the midst of that sign of love for who we are and hope in who we will be and what we will do…reach out with the Word to the most poor and abandoned. I had an undeniable experience of men who are: “Strong in faith, rejoicing in hope, burning with charity, on fire with zeal…” (Const. 20) Following the ceremony of investiture Fr. Ray presided over the Eucharist and preached on the meaning of “putting on the habit” as an extension of having “put on the new man” in our Baptism. He pointed out that the habit is not only a sign of accomplishment but principally an “apron” of service that we put on, similar to the “apron” with which Christ clothed himself to wash the feet of his disciples.

Once the Eucharist was finished we posed for a picture. After the “official” group picture had been taken there was a flurry of activity around picture taking…individuals, groups from the different provinces, etc., etc. At this time it strikes me that I have not given the names nor origin of those who received their habits. They are:

• from the London Province: Michael Taylor and Royston Price;
• from the Dublin Province: Ryan Holovlasky and Mark McMullan;
• from the Denver Province: Thien Hoang;
• from the Baltimore Province: Brian Vaccaro, Joseph Song You and Kevin McGraw.
  

The pictures were followed by a lovely pre-prandial reception. We were joined at this time by Frs. Mark Miller, C.Ss.R., Provincial, and Mick Fleming, C.Ss.R. of the Saskatoon community, who had not been able to be present at the ceremony having gotten caught in traffic on the highway. The reception was held in the solarium and was nicely prepared by the novices Royston, Song and Ryan. Following the small reception we enjoyed a celebratory meal prepared by our chef, Shawn Brown.

It was a great moment in our novitiate journey. Hopes were strengthened, a love for the Congregation was alive and well in our hearts and we all felt the presence of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, St. Alphonsus, our other saints, blesseds, martyrs and also the confreres of our provinces who have been and continue to be a source of inspiration for all of us.

To all of our novices: Ad multos annos!

By Fr. David Purcell, C.Ss.R.

For those of us who consider ourselves sons and daughters, or dear friends of St. Alphonsus in Canada, we have had much to be happy about this spring and summer! As some of you may know, Joseph Manh Thuong Nguyen, was ordained a priest in St. Anne de Beaupré, on Sunday the 24th of April. Originally a member of the Vietnamese Province, Joseph decided to learn French, finish his studies here in Canada and dedicate his life in service of our Congregation here in Canada. He has been assigned to a team of Redemptorists who serve six parishes along the Côte de Beaupré.

We celebrated a beautiful liturgy presided by Archbishop Gérald Lacroix. The Provincial Superior from the Vietnamese Province was also present at the celebration.

There was a wonderful reception after the ordination, that was attended by a crowd of about 300 people!

The contrast in Fr. Joseph’s life by becoming a missionary priest, was evident when after his ordination in Canada, he took a trip to Vietnam. In July he celebrated the ordination of 5 Redemptorists to the priesthood, 12 to the diaconate, 14 who professed first vows and 9 who professed final vows.

By Fr Ed Eherer, C.Ss.R.

Saint Alphonsus was an accomplished musician in his own right and recognized that music could be a powerful tool for evangelization. So it’s no surprise that today many of our Redemptorist confreres and lay associates are gifted musicians. Jeannie Pernal is one such person. As the founder and director of the Grande Prairie Boys’ Choir, faith and music have always gone hand-in-hand – her musical repertoire often reflects the rich contributions made by people of faith over the centuries. Since arriving in Grande Prairie, Jeannie and her family have come to know the Redemptorists well and she herself is a member of the local associates’ group.

This past year, as the Redemptorist family looked for ways to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the icon of Perpetual Help, Jeannie naturally thought “with music, of course” – specifically, with a newly commissioned piece of choral music performed by the Grande Prairie Boys’ Choir. That initial conversation led to several more, eventually leading to a formal proposal to the Edmonton-Toronto Provincial Council for a musical commission. Happily, the council gave its blessing.

To write the score, Jeannie enlisted Edmonton composer Trent Worthington. Trent has worked many times with Jeannie and the boys, as composer, arranger, conductor and mentor, and so was very familiar with the choir’s “sound.” For the text, Jeannie and Trent chose the words of the Magnificat, perhaps the oldest Marian hymn, found in the Gospel of Luke. It goes without saying that over the winter months, Jeannie and the choir rigorously rehearsed the piece in preparation for its debut.

The world premiere of the piece, entitled Magnificat anima mea, was set for May 21st at the historical McDougall United Church in Edmonton as part of Podium 2016, the annual gathering of choral conductors from across Canada. This venue offered ideal exposure not only for the choir but also for the composition. Upon hearing the Magnificat, it was clear that all the hard work had paid off. The performance was outstanding, as it evoked a delightful sense of joy and brightness, quite appropriate for a celebration of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. It must be said that following the concert there was a noticeable buzz about Jeannie, the choir, and the Magnificat. I think even St. Alphonsus would say, “Bravissimo!”

As part of their summer tour, the boys’ choir again performed the Magnificat at St. Patrick’s parish in Toronto during the Perpetual Help Triduum at the end of June. The Redemptorists are thankful to Jeannie and Trent and the boys for helping us honour Our Mother of Perpetual Help in such a beautiful way.

To watch the performance of the Magnificat at St. Patrick’s parish, please go
www.romancatholictv.com and click the link at the top of the page.

By Bertilla Watanabe

The sun came out to join the festivities on our Jubilee Day, June 26, as priests, altar servers, choirs, flower girls, Knights of Columbus and members of the congregation gathered outside to witness the blessing of the newly built grotto for Mother Mary at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Vancouver.

Following the blessing, led by altar servers and the Honour Guard of the Knights of Columbus, the crowd processed from the grotto, up Crown Street and into the main church with the beautiful icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help held high. Immaculate Mary was the natural choice for a hymn of praise to our Blessed Mother.

At the homily, Provincial Superior Fr. Mark Miller, preached to a packed church on the virtues of Mary and the significance of distinctive features of the icon. A joyful parade of children with little posies from the garden came forward to present their bouquets to Mary while flower girls in crisp white dresses strewed petals around the icon.

A beautiful selection of Marian hymns was sung at Mass by the choir.

Five Redemptorists including the Provincial Superior, Fr. Mark Miller, were present to celebrate the 150th Jubilee Celebration of the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, making it a very memorable celebration for all who attended.

Fr. Mark arrived Wednesday night from Toronto in good time for his three-day Mission talks which began on the Thursday night before Jubilee Sunday. Tim and Bernadette Mah, a husband and wife team of musicians from the neighbouring parish of Immaculate Conception, helped create a celebratory mood with their lively selection of Gospel and contemporary hymns on those days.

Fr. Brendan Boland who recently turned 93, was given a Jubilee award for his long service and dedication to our parish. He thanked God and all present for the opportunity to serve in this parish.

It was no easy task selecting the 25 good stewards who would receive the special Jubilee Award to mark the 150th anniversary of the icon. The awards were given to honour volunteers who shared their time, talent and treasure in outstanding ways. Congratulations, certificates and gifts of appreciation were extended to all for their generous service:
Fr. Brendan Boland
Bridget Bird
Jim Cameron
Derek Carr
Monica Cheung
Anita Clarke
Laura Cruickshank
Benny Fernandes
Michael Fernandes
Liz Fong-McLaughlin
Sue Ellen Griffin
Elizabeth Hii
Linda Jentsch
Frank Kaweski
Gerry Macken
Mary McGuire
Sr. Roberta Mullin
Diane Poirier
Roger Poirier
Doris Rankin
Joan Savoie
Ron Siy
Betty Smyth
Brad Stafford
Mark Thompson

By Fr David Purcell, C.Ss.R.

Graham Hill was ordained a priest, by Archbishop Gerry Pettipas on the 10th of June. Archbishop Gerry spoke about three people who had greatly influenced Graham’s spiritual and personal formation. Most of the priests in the archdiocese attended the ordination; some making great sacrifices to travel from very far flung locations, and then returning to their parishes for their Sunday celebrations!

Graham was also joined by men from his novitiate class; here from right to left are Kevin Zubel and Quy Duong (both of whom were ordained to the Transitional Diaconate on June 26). Fr. Dennis Sweeney, next to Quy, was the rector of Graham’s community during Graham’s theology studies.

Thanks go to many Redemptorist confreres who came from across North America. A banquet for clergy and friends was held before the ordination.

And we are very grateful to many volunteers from St. Joseph Parish who helped to host a reception in the parish hall after the ordination and after Fr. Graham Hill’s Mass of Thanksgiving on the following Sunday.

Many friends were on hand….
Good friends of the Redemptorists,
Kevin and Helen Walker (at left with Fr. Mark Miller)

Younger friends, Natalie and Therese and children (at right with Fr. Santo Arrigo).

And of course the jet set friends who flew in from St. Patrick parish in Toronto (pictured below)!

The Knights of Columbus as always, were very supportive friends of our celebration!

Below are more moments captured at the Ordination Mass and Fr. Graham’s Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday.

Part 1 by Fr. David Louch, C.Ss.R.

In February 1977 I participated in the first course on Redemptorist History and Spirituality offered in English in Rome. It was organized and led by Fr Joe Oppitz (Baltimore Province). In the years since then the General Government of the Congregation has established the Centre for Redemptorist Spirituality at our motherhouse in Rome. There has been much ongoing research into our Redemptorist origins and charism since 1977, and for several years the Spirituality Centre has offered in English and in Spanish a 3-week course to share the fruits of that research with confreres from around the world.

Having come to a point in my life where my enthusiasm and zeal for Redemptorist Apostolic Life has begun to wane, I needed to be rejuvenated in my Redemptorist vocation. I thought the spirituality course might provide the needed stimulus, so I asked the Provincial if I could attend this summer. I also suggested that it would be good for Anne Walsh who co-chairs the North American Redemptorist Secretariat for Partnership in Mission to attend with me. Fr Mark agreed to both requests.

So Anne and I were in Italy July 11-31 along with 30 other confreres from 12 units: Baltimore, Lviv, Thailand, St Clement (Germany), Oceania (Sri Lanka, Australia, Samoa), Vietnam Extra Patriam (U.S.), Indonesia, Manila & Cebu (Philippines) and Majella & Bangalore (India). This was the first Redemptorist Spirituality Course to be led by the new Director of the Spirituality Centre – Fr Piotr Chyla (Warwaw Province) – and he did a terrific job! His passion for Redemptorist Apostolic Life and for the Congregation permeated everything in the three weeks we were together. From the start, Peter reminded us that this was not just a course – it was a pilgrimage! Peter was assisted by Fr George Pathenpura (Bangalore Province) – a gentle and humourous confrere and an excellent teacher.

I learned many new things and appreciated all the presentations. My favourite ones were Fr Peter on the Four Founding Personalities of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and Fr Enrique Lopez (General Consultor from Paraguay) on Moral Theology as a Constitutive Element of the Redemptorist Charism. The four founding personalities, of course, are Alphonsus Liguori, Gennaro Sarnelli, Maria Celeste Crostarosa and Tomasso Falcoia. I had never before considered the important part Sarnelli played in our founding; and, for me, Peter’s presentation was a rehabilitation of Crostarosa. After Enrique’s presentation I told him that if I were 20 years younger I would go for a licentiate in Moral Theology!

Even more important than the input was visiting the places of our beginnings (Scala, Ciorani, Deliceto, Muro Lucano, Materdomini, St Agatha of the Goths, Naples and Pagani). To see and get a feel for the ‘abandoned’ country places and the people. It was a moving experience to walk in the footsteps of St Alphonsus, St Gerard and the first Redemptorists – to feel their presence. That was especially true in Deliceto (St Gerard), at the grotto in Scala where Alphonsus had the vision of Mary, and most profoundly in Pagani at the tomb of St Alphonsus and in the room where he spent the last years of his life and where he died. Normally visitors can only look into that room, but the rector (Fr Luciano) allowed us to actually go into the room (as long as we didn’t touch anything, since it’s all very fragile). As soon as I crossed the threshold tears came to my eyes. It was the first time I have ever felt close to Alphonsus.

Perhaps most important and significant for me was simply being with all those younger confreres. There were only three of us over 60 – Norbert Meinerzhagen of the St Clement Province at 75, myself at 69 and John McKenna of the Baltimore Province at 64. The rest ranged from 28 to 47 (I think), with most in their 30s, and Anne is in her mid 50s. During the last week each of the units represented in the course told the rest of us about Redemptorist life and work in their unit. Seeing and feeling the vigour, joy and energy of the confreres from Asia and Extra Patriam was most uplifting; it gave me renewed hope for the Redemptorist mission – maybe even in Canada. But whatever might happen at home, I have the consolation of knowing that the Congregation is alive and well in the Church and Redemptorist Apostolic Life will continue to thrive for the foreseeable future at least in the southern hemisphere.

So the Redemptorist Spirituality Course 2016 fulfilled my hopes and expectations. I return to my life and work in North America feeling renewed and rejuvenated – and praying for the gift of zeal.

Part 2 By Anne Walsh

In 1992, at the very beginning of my first six-week experience as a team member for S.E.R.V.E., I had an experience that I now realize was life-altering and definitive. I was blest to meet Fr. Juan Lasso de la Vega, and for four nights he sat me in the old library at Gerard House and spun the globe, telling me stories of the Redemptorists who lived wherever he stopped the spinning of the globe with his finger. I heard of Redemptorists in Burkina Faso and Niger, Siberia and Thailand, and I was fascinated. More than the stories, I was captivated by the spirit of this man, and the affinity that he had for St. Alphonsus. When he told me, at the end of that week, “You are Redemptorist, too,” I longed to believe him, but I dared not. The following year, Fr. Mike Brehl adopted me into the novitiate on Lyndhurst Avenue in Toronto, and I gamely read Rey-Mermet’s biography of St. Alphonsus, and began to be inspired by the man, long after meeting his sons. I recognized in St. Alphonsus and the Redemptorists an echo of my own calling to walk with the most abandoned. In the 25 years since then, my walk with the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer has taken me into many places (from Rome to Ireland to so many places in Canada and the U.S. that it’s impossible to name them all), and into encounters and experiences that have been a constant experience of conversion and growth – and hopefully not just for me! But I’ve always felt a kind of inadequacy; I have always felt that I lacked that formal and systematic experience of immersion that vowed Redemptorists receive in novitiate. I’ve always wanted to know more, to walk where Alphonsus and Gerard and Gennaro Sarnelli walked, and to soak in their spirit and their drive, to gain some insight into what motivated them, what made them “tick.”

So, imagine my gratitude and delight when David Louch and Mike Brehl suggested the idea – wholeheartedly supported by Mark Miller – that David Louch and I together take part in the three-week Course in Redemptorist Spirituality offered in Italy in July 2016!

From July 9 through July 31, David and I got to walk in the footsteps of St. Alphonsus and the early Redemptorists, and to explore them, their world and their drive to evangelize the poor and be evangelized by the poor. I call it a course, but for me it was also a retreat and a rediscovery and a graced opportunity to touch into my own connection to these men and their sons, and our shared vocation to follow Christ the Redeemer, who made a preferential option for the poor.

With 30 other participants from India (Bangalore and Majella Provinces), Thailand, Indonesia and Samoa region, Oceania, Vietnam, Baltimore, St. Clement, Cebu and Manila, we were under the inspiring guidance of Fr. Piotr Chyla, CSsR (Director of the Institute for Redemptorist Spirituality) and Fr. George Puthenpora, CSsR, and the speakers and sites to which they introduced us and through which they guided us. We began with three days of foundational talks in Rome, at the Redemptorist House on Via Merulana, and with a Mass at the Catacomb of St. Callistus. Thus, we/I gained a new appreciation for the courage and faith of our ancestors in faith. It was inexpressibly moving.

Fr. Antonio Marrazzo, CSsR gave us a talk on the design of the early Redemptorist houses at Scala, Ciorani and Pagani, highlighting how Alphonsus deliberately designed these with no chapel, but easy access to the parish church, in order that the people and the Redemptorist community might pray together! These were not monasteries, but houses, designed in order that Redemptorists might live close to and among the people.

This set the stage for our pilgrimage through the sites in Rome associated with St. Alphonsus and the early Redemptorists, and then we began to travel further afield, first to St. Agatha of the Goths. It was wonderful to walk where he walked, and to meet people who held his memory in high esteem, as if he were still among them, in some ways! Our guide, named Alfonso, told us that, in his assessment, Alphonsus is remembered because he taught the poor that they had dignity. What a wonderful way to be remembered!

Next we journeyed to Materdomini, where St. Gerard Majella died and is buried, and where his shrine is located. On the Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer, our group celebrated Mass at the tomb of St. Gerard, and it was a moving experience to celebrate the feast at the tomb of one of our great role models and guide in faith, simplicity and fidelity. We stayed for seven days at Materdomini, and from there journeyed to Muro Lucano, the birthplace of St. Gerard, where he spent his early years and learned his trade as a tailor, before taking part in a Redemptorist mission in 1749 and being moved to join the young Congregation. It really moved me that, as with Alphonsus at St. Agatha, in Muro the people still think of Gerard as very much one of them. The two women who were our guides, and Michael, a wonderful young local man who walked with us and helped us make our way through the town, talked about him with great familiarity, almost as if they were speaking of a neighbour.

From Muro, we made our way to Deliceto, one of the earliest houses of the Redemptorists. I was not prepared for what I would experience and feel there. The house ceased to be a Redemptorist foundation in 1866. St. Alphonsus loved Deliceto, and it became the novitiate and student house for the fledgling Congregation. There, he taught moral theology, geography and astronomy. There, St. Gerard spent most of his years as an active Redemptorist. What I was not prepared for was the feeling of the place. It was easy to feel the presence of St. Alphonsus, Gerard and the others of that founding generation. We celebrated Mass in the chapel.

At supper that night, we were different. There was a lightness and a camaraderie that had not been there before – almost as if we had all caught a bit of the lightness of Gerard’s spirit on the pilgrimage! Imagine the consternation (and delight) of the other guests in the hotel restaurant as we sang after supper! I did not know before that some of our confreres from Bangalore Province like country music, and that John Denver is a favourite of our confreres in Cebu! I guess Gerard and Alphonsus are still alive and well, after all!

Next we moved on to make Ciorani our base, and to spend nine days there. St. Alphonsus lived there from 1736 to 1751. From Ciorani, we moved out to spend a day at Scala, and it was as marvelous as I’d always hoped. We got to visit and spend some time in prayer at the grotto where St. Alphonsus prayed as he prepared for the foundation of the Congregation. It was peaceful, and it was like Alphonsus was there, welcoming me to his special place. I really don’t have words for how the place touched me. But I do think that this place somehow captures and holds the heart of Alphonsus, at once mystical and at the same time firmly grounded in mission, but not in time or place. The grotto doesn’t feel like Italy – it feels like us, as if we belong to it and it to the Redemptorist family.

From Ciorani, we also travelled to Naples. We visited Marianella, the birthplace of St. Alphonsus, and the church where he was baptized. What a moving experience it was to see the Baptismal register, with the section around September 27, 1696 chock full of notices— Confirmation, ordination, Beatification, Canonization, being named a Doctor of the Church (did you know that his title is “Most Zealous Doctor?”). We walked the streets he walked; our guide, Father Lello, even guided us on his usual path from home to the law courts! We visited some of the places he prayed. For me, as a catechist, the most special place was a stop at one of the porticos where the “Evening Chapels” were held, where Alphonsus’ earliest efforts in partnership with lay people in proclaiming plentiful redemption took place. I thought of Bernardino the cowherd, Leonardo, who sold chestnuts on the streets, and all those who remain nameless, but whom Alphonsus drew into the circle of redeeming love. And then, we had pizza in a Neapolitan pizzeria (It’s only fitting!)

Our last pilgrimage, before the final day of retreat and synthesis, was spent at Pagani. We celebrated Mass in the chapel where the relics of St. Alphonsus are venerated. I wasn’t prepared for this experience. As much as I’ve seen pictures and felt connected with St. Alphonsus for a very long time, a sense of overflowing gratitude flooded through me as I sat before his tomb. I have experienced so much good in my life because of and through this man and the community he founded… the Church has experienced so much good because he lived and was faithful, using his gifts so generously in service of the most abandoned. So, I gave thanks there for all the Redemptorists who have enriched my life and taught me so much.

The rector of the community gave us a great tour, which included a visit to the infirmary, and the chance to meet a number of the senior Redemptorists, and then a visit to the museum in which many items belonging to or associated with St. Alphonsus are held – his paintings, some clothing, his wheelchair and his harpsichord. His room is preserved, and for some reason what really struck me were the slippers still placed at the side of the bed, as if he would still jump out of bed and go into action – I guess that’s left to us now!

I obviously have enough food for reflection to last me through a lifetime! Perhaps what is more important, though, is the awareness that I left Italy feeling that I had somehow touched into the spirit of St. Alphonsus and the founding generations, and gained renewed energy and courage for proclaiming Good News to the most abandoned…with my brothers, that is!

By Fr. Leo English, C.Ss.R.

We have 4 adult faith formation dates scheduled through the next number of months. These evenings are an excellent way to explore in a deeper way articles of our faith journey.

The topics are:
Paschal Mystery (cycle of life & death) on Wednesday, September 28th; Practice of Forgiveness on Wednesday, November 23rd; Managing Grief on Wednesday, February 28th, 2017; and “Real Presence” on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017.

Each evening begins with Mass in the church at 7pm, followed by a session in Tranquille Hall until 9:15pm. There is no cost – coffee/tea will be available.

We want to encourage you to share this with your membership and for you to promote it in as many ways as possible, these opportunities to learn more about our faith.

By Sr Mary Gerarda (Annie) Slanina, OSSR

Sister Margaret Reid was born in 1921; the paternal home was in Milton, ON. She was the second of four siblings born to an Irish-Catholic mother and a Protestant father. Margaret was always indignant at the fact that in those days the Catholic Church was less than ‘inclusive’ of her non-Catholic father. This translated into a life-long sensitivity to people of other faiths and a social consciousness.

Both of Margaret’s sisters married: the eldest Mary, raised her family in Oshawa, ON and Anne near Brampton ON. Margaret’s only brother Tom, next to her in age, became an air pilot. He worked for Air Canada, raised his family in Brampton, and in retirement moved to Vancouver.

Margaret was close to her father; it pained her that he was not invited to her First Holy Communion. A fuzzy memory recounts her telling a story they heard as children, it was about a Prince-child who chose to embrace a little ragged doll instead of other glittering toys. “On the day of my first Holy Communion I felt like that little ragged doll, embraced by a Prince when other children had both their parents present.” With her father she learned to graft and prune fruit trees in their family orchard. Later, with his approval, she went on to study. Margaret attended the University of Toronto and majored in Commerce.

During the University years she befriended a non-Catholic, Selma Bartlette. She brought Selma to Mass with her on a regular basis and often waited for Selma who was always late for everything! Eventually, Selma became a Catholic and entered the Redemptoristine Monastery in Barrie, ON. She was given the name Sister Mary Alphonsus of the Will of God. Unwittingly, Selma later became an inspiration to Margaret in her own vocational search.

After earning her Degree at U of T, while World War II was raging, Margaret joined the Canadian Army Women’s Corps where she served several years. During this time her father died. As the war ended, Margaret returned to civil life and engaged in Social Work, which prompted her to go for a degree in psychology-counselling. That would mark her henceforth. She had the facility of an astute ‘peacemaker’ in all facets of life, in community-events, in human relationships. She knew how to be everybody’s friend.

Over the years Margaret made many friends, she engaged in a number of relationships, but now in her 30’s, she came to visit Selma, in the cloister.

Margaret entered the Monastery of the Most Holy Redeemer in Barrie, ON in October of 1952. She was bilingual, English and French. Upon entering the Novitiate was given the name Sister Mary Pia of the Mystical Body…we nick-named her ‘pious’. She made her first profession in 1954. After Vatican II, the use of a legal name by Religious was encouraged, so Margaret returned to her baptismal name.

In 1965, the Barrie Community moved to Keswick, ON: new community elections gave Margaret the position of Bursar. But when our Sisters in Vienna, Austria asked for assistance, Margaret volunteered to go to Vienna. There she learned to speak Austrian-German, spent 20 years in Vienna, and relished the history of the first trans-alpine monastery of the Order. She delighted in learning the stories and personalities of those early, heroic women of its founding. While in Vienna, she had occasion to meet other Austrian and German Redemptoristines; in inter-community meetings she had occasion to see other monasteries. It was also while in Vienna that she learned to enjoy beer!

When the Vienna Monastery closed, Margaret returned to her monastery of origin, which was now in Fort Erie, ON. On her return route she visited our sisters in Spain and Ireland. Margaret brought back framed pictures of Vienna’s Founding-Prioress and other tokens of the first trans-alpine monastery with a deeply imbedded love of the Order.

By this time, Margaret, (like the rest of us) was well into middle age. During the time she was abroad she naturally acquired considerable experience of the Order, and matured in her own insight and wisdom. This was not always recognized nor readily accepted in the now diminished Fort Erie Community. She often experienced a personal disregard, ’made to feel like an outsider’ she confided. She would shrug it off and carry on. When during community meetings conflicts surfaced, it was Margaret who would be the voice of clarification for either side, and a source of mediation. Margaret was always a faithful sister and a staunch-friend.

There was nothing Margaret enjoyed more than a shared homily or shared prayer-reflection. That was why the charismatic prayer groups had such appeal for her. She enjoyed a good recreation; it was noted, that even at an advanced age she would get up to do a jig in response to music. Though she was not the most musical person, a good liturgical celebration with community participation in the music was much to her satisfaction.

In the 90’s when the OSSR Commission asked for volunteer sisters to be the editors of the OSSR Viva Memoria Publication, Sister Margaret volunteered again, delighted to be of service to the Order. This team of 3 sisters lived for some years with our Redemptoristine Community in Esopus, NY, USA.  Later, when the VM editorial team was relocated, Margaret moved with it; they lived with our Sisters in Landser, France.

On return to the Fort Erie Community Margaret served as novice mistress, and later as bursar. In 2009 as the Fort Erie Monastery was closing, Margaret was still serving as the community Bursar, at age 88!

The Fort Erie Monastery closed in 2009: Sr. Margaret chose to be incardinated (to technically belong to a canonically erected OSSR-Monastery) in the French speaking community of Sainte-Thérèse, QC. However, since the July 2009 closure, Margaret and two other sisters of the Community have been residing in Toronto. The Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood have an “Assisted Living” facility there – called St. Bernard’s Home, where our sisters receive excellent care.

In 2014, there in St. Bernard’s Home in Toronto, Margaret celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, 60 years of Religious Profession at the age of 93. It was my privilege to be in attendance, to hear Margaret renew her vows in the same strong, audible, crystal clear voice, with which she had pronounced them that very first time so many years ago! It was a fine celebration and a good visit.

Over the years, family had come to visit in our monastery, I met her siblings. During the years Margaret was in Vienna, her younger sister, Anne Fitzgerald, was diagnosed with cancer. As I had occasion to be in Toronto I made it a point to visit Anne before she died. Later, another University friend, Rita McCormick learned of the death of Margaret’s mother. We made plans to attend the funeral, in eastern Ontario, past Trenton, and were joined by two other Redemptoristine sisters who happened to be visiting in Fort Erie at the time. In retirement her brother Tom, was also diagnosed with cancer.

In 2002 Margaret went to Vancouver to be with him. On return, she stopped here in Prince George; together we grieved her loss. Now, there were only two of the Reid siblings left, the eldest sister, Mary, and Margaret.

In the latter part of life Margaret was bothered by a sleep disorder, often seemingly falling asleep while sitting at lectures, community prayer or during a homily. Initially, she denied having any problem! She claimed she was not asleep but merely resting her lowered head and insisted that she had heard everything! Indeed, she hardly ever missed a beat!  But progressively, an oxygen mask at night was, “a nuisance I could do without!”

Early in August 2016 I called her for the Feast of St. Alphonsus; she replied with, “I’ve been waiting to talk with you.” She proceeded to tell me of having been taken by a niece to Oshawa to be at the bedside of her sister Mary who died on July 27th. Margaret stayed there with the niece in order to attend the funeral.

Margaret seemed no longer able to dial all the long-distance numbers without getting confused, so she waited till I called her; it was like she needed to talk to someone. After that I called her weekly; this death seemed to be affecting her significantly and she continued to speak of Mary. In our last conversation I asked if she was getting outside to see those beautiful grounds, and get some fresh air.  I could, she replied, but I just never seem to get there. It was as though, now at 95, life was beginning to be somewhat taxing. Margaret died in St. Bernard’s Home on September 14, 2016

Margaret’s Redemptoristine life was a life of dedication, in favourable times of adventure and achievement, as also in less favourable times. It was fitting and even one could say a special gift for her, that the Holy Redeemer called her ‘home to her eternal reward’ on September 14th; it is the date of the death of our Foundress, Blessed Maria Celeste (Julia) Crostarosa.

So now, my dear sister and faithful friend, you have been taken down the QEW (highway) one last time. It was so good to know some of our sisters were there for you, …. while I couldn’t so much as water your grave with my tears!

“Pray for me as I shall for thee, ..that we may merrily meet in heaven.” (St. Thomas Moore)

By Fr. Ray Douziech, C.Ss.R.

I walked into the bank on Thursday, September 8 and noticed that one of the teller stations had been converted into a little shrine. On the counter was a small bouquet of flowers, a picture and a sign that read, “In memory of Lily.” I was shocked to read that Lily had passed away. She was a lively little woman who always had a smile and a ready greeting, “Good morning, Father.” I found myself tearing at her loss. Crying over a stranger’s death, how unusual. I then realized that her passing was a catalyst for the sadness and tears I was feeling over the loss of my friend Ron Huber.

Although many in the old Toronto province would not have known Ron, he was better known in our Edmonton province. He and I were among the first students to enter Holy Redeemer College in Edmonton some 56 years ago. Ron had already been with the minor seminary in Moose Jaw and was now entering into grade eleven in our new college.

Ron was a bright, capable student who loved reading and exploring the world of ideas. I have never known Ron, over the years, not to have several books on the go. One of his biggest sufferings at the end of his life was his inability to focus and concentrate enough to read.

His range of interest was varied. He could plunge into a text of Hans Kung as eagerly as reading a travelogue about the Himalayas. He was a great patron of the public library and constantly suggested titles for acquisition. Many of the current books on theology and philosophy at the Edmonton Public Library were likely due to Ron’s initiative. He told me that he had a number of scribblers filled with titles of the books he had read.

Ron also liked to cut out articles or photocopy commentaries that caught his interest. He was a bit of a pack rat. When the prospect of moving from Edmonton to Saskatoon became a closer reality, he realized he needed to cull his shelves. He was overwhelmed at the thought of having to throw out books and papers from high school days.

Ron and I were stationed together at St. Alphonsus. Along with Ed Kennedy and Sister Agnes Quirk, we were a little team that enjoyed the heady days after the Council. It was a time of change, a time when the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dom Helder Camara were guests at our table, when Ed Kennedy was running for an elected position on city council. It was the time of guitar Masses and a new sensitivity of what it meant to be an inner city parish.

It was also a time when Ron realized that preaching was too anxiety provoking for him. He could not see himself being ordained a priest and decided to remain a deacon. His ministry would be working with young people in the schools as a teacher. He remained a teacher with the Edmonton Catholic Schools for 32 years.

It was through the schools that he formed a network of friends. He also enjoyed being a member of the city bridge club. Whenever he visited Edmonton, he would look up his friends and go for a game of bridge. He was a loyal friend.

Ron was shy, yet one-on-one he was a fascinating conversationalist. We would often go from Edmonton to Calgary to visit a mutual friend. These two and a half hour trips would be filled with Ron chatting about his readings and the questions or ideas coming from them.

Ron had a wonderful sense of humour and a great laugh. He could remember countless funny incidents with his students and would regale us at table with school stories.

He loved to travel and was able to see many countries over the course of the years. He had a particular liking for Thailand where he got to know a few people. He was taken aback when he returned from one of his trips to have the immigration officers insist on reading his private journal. Ron would laugh and say that if they were looking for anything spicy the only thing they would find was a menu from his favourite restaurant.

Ron was very sensitive and had a huge heart. He had a great love for his family. He never quite recovered from the death of his brother Stanley in 1961. When his parents died, he felt a deep responsibility as the eldest to support his sister Arlene, to care for his brother Rick, and to be there for the other members of his family.

One can never do justice to the life of a person in a few sentences. However, we can get a glimpse of the rich tapestry of a person and a hint at the beauty of a soul. Ron had a rich inner life and the beauty of his soul was fashioned through a lifetime of experiences and friendships. We also know that it was fashioned by inner struggles with melancholy, anxiety, fatigue and low energy. Ron asked to be on a leave of absence because of these. However, he always felt connected as a Redemptorist even though he was out of community.

After Ron retired and moved to Saskatoon, it was thanks to Fr Mark Miller that Ron came to St Mary’s for the occasional visit. This allowed the members of the community to get to know Ron and appreciate him as a confrere. He was a confrere who lived on the periphery of community, yet those of us, who knew him, will miss him. Ron’s death is the departure of a kind, loving, generous and steadfast friend. May he rest in peace!

Fr. Mark Miller, C.Ss.R.

Brother Kevin (Matthew) Garvey was born on February 5, 1921 in Mayo (Buckingham), Quebec, a place he left an indelible mark upon by constructing a Shrine to Our Blessed Mother. He was from a large family; two of his three remaining sisters attended his funeral (Sr. Clarice Garvey, OLM of Toronto; and Claire Hawkes of Aylmer; Mary Burke in Kitchener was unable to attend) along with his one remaining brother, Regis, from Ottawa. Kevin died on August 24th at the Houses of Providence, his home for the past couple of years.

Before he became a brother, Kevin worked wherever he could. He used to tell of his trips out West to help with the harvest, coming home on the train after months in the fields.

He joined the Redemptorists in 1956, taking his first vows on March 15, 1957. Kevin was an excellent carpenter. He built chapels and renovated churches and community houses; he fashioned tables and chairs and many handy items used in everyday life (like the wooden peg he used to balance the ironing board when one plastic ‘shoe’ was lost). He was also the one to tear down the house at 418 St. Germain Ave. to allow for more parking and the beautiful lawn to the east of Madonna House.

Kevin lived in, and plied his skills in, many Redemptorist communities: Redemptorist formation communities such as those in Woodstock, Brockville, Keswick, and HRC, Windsor. He was also stationed in Whitbourne, NL, St. John’s, NL, the provincial house, and St. Patrick’s Monastery, both in Toronto.

Brother Kevin was a wonderful confrere, hard-working, self-motivated, prayerful even during his final months in Providence. He was a pleasant confrere to spend time conversing with who loved poetry and had a keen sense of his own and his family’s history.

He left us at the age of 95 after a full life of service and prayer, a true Redemptorist Brother.

Fr Ray Douziech, C.Ss.R.

Whenever I meet a confrere or someone who knows, I am the novice master the first question inevitably raised is, “How many novices do we have this year?” The answer, “Five.” The second question, “Are there any Canadians?” The answer to that question is, “Unfortunately, no.”

The group this year continues the tradition of having a novitiate that is both international and multi-cultural. I would like to introduce them briefly to you.

Joaquin Garcia-Romanillos. Age 41. Born in Granada. Joaquin is part of the Madrid province. He is fluent in English. He worked in Portugal. He speaks Portuguese and French. He comes with degrees in Law and in Business Administration. His professional life, prior to entering the Redemptorists in 2013, was centered on financial markets, banking and analysis of investments, international equity and fixed income markets.


Trung-Tin Huynh. Age 25. Born in Saigon, Vietnam. He moved to the US in 2010. He attended university in Vietnam and majored in Computer Science. In the US, he studied Computer Science at Georgia Perimeter College and graduated in 2014. In college, he was invited to join Mu Alpha Theta, the national high school and two-year college mathematics honour society and Phi Theta Kappa, an international honour society. He also got recognition for his scholastic ability in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Trung-Tin is a novice for the Vice-Province of Richmond.

Vincent Nguyen. Age 22. Vincent is a novice for the Denver province. He was born in Fountain Valley, California. After High School, he entered Golden West Community College studying philosophy. He was accepted as a postulant in 2013. Vincent finished his Arts degree from St John’s University with a major in Philosophy. He enjoys scholarly pursuits. He has done very well with his studies. His GPA was 4.0. He was deeply involved in his parish, in the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth movement, the Knights of Columbus, in teaching catechism as well as a peer mentor in various settings. He is very proud of his Vietnamese-American heritage.

Royce Thomas. Age 27. Royce is a native of Trinidad and Tobago. He was born in Parryland village Guapo Point Fortin. He attended Point Fortin Primary School and went to St Benedict’s College. He also attended Roytec school of Business and Computer studies doing an associate degree program. In January 2009, he started working at Corpus Christi College as an assistant teacher and in September of 2009, he became a full time teacher, teaching social studies, music and religion. He entered the postulancy for the Caribbean Region in September 2012. He completed his BA in philosophy in the spring of 2016.

Michael Vo, Age 39. Michael was born and raised in Bien-Hoa, Vietnam. He arrived in Boston with his family on September 14, 1990. He went to high school in Boston and was a member of the ProTech program at his school and a member of the Urban Scholar and the Upward Bound program at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. In 1997, he entered the University of Massachusetts in Boston and began his studies towards a Bachelor of Science degree. After graduating, he worked in the family business for two years then worked in city hall, Boston for eleven years as a PeopleSoft Applications Developer. Michael is a novice for the Baltimore province.

Fr. Mark Miller, C.Ss.R.

As you are all aware, the Edmonton-Toronto province did not have a Chapter or Assembly this year which is where we would normally celebrate our Jubilarians. Fortunately, we were still able to celebrate the five men who have arrived at a special anniversary this year when we gathered in Grande Prairie. We first shared the Eucharist with our Redemptorist Associates and then had a wonderful, celebratory supper in the back yard of the rectory. The following is meant to be a brief toast to these five men.

To begin with (and a little bit to the astonishment of most of us younger Redemptorists) there was actually a class of three men celebrating together their 60th anniversary of profession. Frs. Albert Sterzer, Bill Comerford, and Tex Keindel committed themselves as Redemptorists on Sept. 15, 1956 after their novitiate begun at L’Abord-á-Plouffe and finished in Senneville under Fr. McElligott.

Fr. Albert comes from Winnipeg and carried out his ministry and mission work in the West. He was stationed, at one time or another, in most of the communities in the Prairie provinces, and included a stint as provincial (1978-84) of the Edmonton province where, to paraphrase a previous provincial, he was the embodiment of kindness and concern for the confreres. He has spent much of his life ministering in parishes but also was a member of the Redemptorist Mission Team for several years. Albert is now ‘retired’ and helping out in the Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan wherever he is needed. His zeal and dedication to Our Redeemer keep him (relatively) young at heart and busy as a Redemptorist confrere and a priest.

Fr. Bill Comerford was a member of the Toronto Province. After ordination in 1962, he went to Holy Redeemer Parish in Charlottetown, followed by several years as a chaplain in Catholic schools in Quebec. In 1972 he was stationed in Saint John where he met Joan Green with whom he fashioned a friendship and life-long ministry. A year at Stuebenville prepared him for work in the Charismatic Movement, much of which he carried out in Toronto, working out of Holy Name Parish and then the Provincial Residence. He was the confessor for our Redemptoristines in Fort Erie for many years. In 2007 Bill moved to Vancouver as associate pastor, retiring there three years later. After some heart problems, he has progressed to a healthy, active retiree, still serving the Lord in multiple ways in the Archdiocese.

Fr. Tex (Gerald) Keindel is another Westerner. He grew up in St. Mary’s Parish in Saskatoon in the glory years (loads of active young people) and was ordained in 1962 by Archbishop Jordan in Edmonton. He continued with studies after ordination in Aylmer followed by work to obtain a B.Ed. at the University of Alberta. He taught for a year at HRC, Edmonton. He worked in our parishes of Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Beaverlodge (Alberta) over the years, taking 1979-80 at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa for a Master’s in pastoral counseling. In 2002 Tex moved to Villa Marguerite where, over the past 8 years, he has accepted the task of rector. His hobby today is knitting—scarves, mitts, sweaters—for street people and others in need!

Two other confreres celebrated Jubiliees this year:
Fr. Rajmund Dorawa, celebrating his 40th anniversary of ordination, was born August 25, 1950 in Inowroclaw, Poland. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest June 17, 1976. After a three-year appointment as an associate pastor in Elblag, Poland, Rajmund came to Canada to assist the Edmonton Province in its mission and ministry. After studying English, he spent 16 years as associate pastor in Grande Prairie, Saskatoon, and Yorkton and then pastor in Saskatoon. He subsequently proceeded to study at the Alphonsianum in Rome where he received his Master’s and then a Doctorate in moral theology. At that time, under the auspices of the Vienna Province with its mission in Denmark, Rajmund worked in Copenhagen and Odense in three languages: Polish, English & Danish. A knee injury in Denmark resulted in a knee replacement (since re-done twice) which has limited his mobility. He is now stationed in Grande Prairie where he has a special ministry to the sick (with a great deal of empathy for them due to his own experiences) and as a confessor. He is a man of prayer and, despite limitations, zealous in his care of the sick.

Fr. David Louch is celebrating his Golden Jubilee as a Redemptorist this year. He was raised in the Redemptorist parish of St. Alphonsus in Edmonton and was one of the first students at Holy Redeemer College in Edmonton when it opened in 1959. David was professed on August 22, 1966 after a year with Fr. Martin Foley as novice director (then ‘master’). He completed his theological studies at our seminary in Geistingen, Germany and, after ordination, finished a doctorate in systematic theology at St. Michael’s College, Toronto in 1979. David has been a willing labourer in the vineyard of the Lord all his life, taking on numerous responsibilities for formation of students, associate pastor and pastor in our parishes, teaching at St. Joseph’s College at the University of Alberta, spending two years at the Carter Centre (Southdown) all the while contributing to the Redemptorist administration through numerous years on provincial councils, various secretariats and commissions, and now as part of the North American Conference (Partners in Mission Commission). He is in the last year of a four-year commitment to the Desert House of Prayer in Tucson, AZ where he provides spiritual direction and shares his teaching skills in numerous ways.

Let us salute our five confreres and thank God for the opportunities that these good men have taken advantage of to serve the Kingdom of God with zeal, skill, intelligence, dedication, and perseverance. We are blessed to have them in our midst.

By MC Havey, Archivist (all photos courtesy of the Archives)

An archivist’s excursion to collect records is always a pleasurable occasion. In mid-September in the unlikely venue of the Hilton hotel in downtown Toronto, it was extraordinarily so.

An unexpected treasure trove of material of Fr. Karl Schindler’s, in which he documented his early years at the German parish of St. Patrick’s, Toronto, was donated by Dr. Christian Freitag, a professor from Hohenfels in southern Germany.

Packed into two cigar boxes for the transatlantic flight, the donation of 146 photographs, 40 postcards, 16 letters and a CD of 1968 sermons/talks cover the period from Fr. Schindler’s arrival in 1955 until 1981. He died in November 1997.

Sitting in the hotel’s reception area after a holiday in Canada, Dr. Freitag and his wife Margret outlined the decades-old bond between Fr. Schindler and the Freitag family. Fr. Schindler, a chaplain in the same hospital where his father worked during the Second World War in Poland’s province of Silesia, had presided at the 1943 wedding of Dr. Freitag’s parents. Throughout the years, Fr. Schindler kept in touch with the family, especially after coming to Toronto.

Many of the donated photographs document the German parish’s activities at the Richmond Hill country property of swimming, games and sports along with the annual pilgrimage to Martyrs’ Shrine and a trip to Niagara Falls. Others show glimpses of daily life, such as the rectory garden (pictured at left) , Fr. Schindler’s bedroom (pictured below) and his broad smile behind the wheel of a 1955 Chevrolet, the new parish car (pictured below at left).

Fr. Schindler’s postcards had a triple purpose. The text described activities in the German parish and the photographic scenes introduced Canada to the family through scenes of Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, the reversing falls in Saint John, beaches of Prince Edward Island and harvesting wheat in Saskatchewan. From the Canadian stamps, young Christian began a stamp collection when the correspondence arrived two or three times a year. He also received Canadian picture books, recalling: “I was so proud to have the picture books written in English. No one had these.”

Dr. Freitag’s mother clipped and sent newspaper articles to Fr. Schindler about the Catholic Church in Europe, which he used in the Aus aller Welt section (From around the world) of Der Deutsche Katholik in Kanada, his monthly magazine.

From Fr. Schindler’s rare visits with the family, Dr. Freitag remembered a warm and interesting priest, who was full of good humour and fun. Of Fr. Schindler’s description and photographs of his Canadian apostolate, Dr. Freitag noted: “I’m very glad that these documents are now back in Toronto, where they belong.” While in Toronto, the Freitags attended the German Mass at St. Patrick’s during the Labour Day weekend. At the coffee gathering, some of the German congregation identified familiar faces in the photos. Afterwards, Maria Luxbacher, the parish staff member for the German community, took the couple to Fr. Schindler’s grave at Mount Hope cemetery. Dr. Freitag simply stated: “Her kindness made our visit.”

By Fr. Steve Morrisey, C.Ss.R.

Twenty-five years ago, as my initial formation was beginning to take place, I met an amazing IHM Sister. She possessed many qualities and she had many lines to describe her life experiences and to teach life lessons. One of her often repeated and familiar phrases stayed near the forefront of my imagination. She would often say; “We are all connected.” Over the years since novitiate, and the many places I have called home since the early 1990’s, I have found Sister’s words coming back into my consciousness. These few words and the above photo shows how we are all connected.

St. Mary’s Parish in Saskatoon, SK takes on many and varied pastoral responsibilities. Grade schools and high schools as well as university retreats. These activities and many others represent some of our ministry. We are blessed to offer ministry in English, French, Spanish and even a little Cree. We are blessed to meet students, youth and their parents from a wide variety of ethnic and financial backgrounds. Now, more than ever, we come in contact with people who call Africa home.

Last year, a parishioner came to me and asked, “…if we are able in any way, to share our wealth. In particular the request was for vestments, either Altar Server robes or extra vestments that are not being used every day.” The members of our community and some very dedicated volunteers found exactly what was being requested of us. The picture shows a parishioner of St. Mary’s and a community in Africa that holds us in prayer. We are all connected. Pope Francis encouraged all of us to do something, not to simply have couch or sofa type spiritualities – we need to be there for each other. This picture shows how we are held in prayer by others.

By MC Havey, Archivist

In baseball terms, the North American Redemptorist history conference in September at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré was a Canadian double play.

For the first time, the conference was held in Canada and Fr. James Mason was the first Canadian confrere to receive the Seelos award from the Institute of Redemptorist Historical Studies in recognition of “his outstanding contribution to historical research and writing.”

During four decades, Fr. Mason has striven to tell the story of the English-Canadian Redemptorists. In 1995, he wrote: “The CSsRs have made a real contribution to our people and our country and it belongs on the public record. It should stand with other critical histories that tell the story of the birth and development of Canada.”

Formally, his contribution to the history of the English-Canadian Redemptorists started with the appointment in 1977 as editor of the Co-Redemptorist Association News. In that capacity until the publication ended in 2011, he wrote profiles in the monthly issues about confreres, foundations, celebrations, events and changes in the English-Canadian Congregation. It was the unofficial general annals of the Toronto Province and later the Edmonton-Toronto Province. He wrote with knowledge of the confreres, most of whom he knew or knew of since entering the juvenate of St. Mary’s College, Brockville in September 1951.

In 1994, Fr. Mason joined the North American chapter of the Institute of the Redemptorist Historical Studies and a member of the North American task force to prepare a general history of the Congregation. A year later, he assumed the responsibility of the History Bulletin, the institute’s historical journal, and has presented papers at many of these conferences. For Canadian Redemptorists, he served on the editorial committee for Redemption and Renewal, a history of Redemptorists of English Canada, and as director of the Provincial Archives since 1996.

Upon retiring in 2002 as Provincial Treasurer after eight years, he took on the meticulous task of transcribing the Civil War diaries of Redemptorist chaplain Fr. James Sheeran and researched the biography of Fr. Sheeran for the institute’s conference in 2007. A published version of the diaries is expected later this year.

In 2006, Fr. Mason revised Cherished Memories, updating Redemptorist dates of foundings, deaths and significant events and added yearly supplements until he retired as director of archives in 2012.

At the presentation of the award at the conference dinner, it was noted: “If this was a sports award, Fr. Mason would be honoured as a player and a builder.”

By MC Havey, Archivist

An engraved chalice belonging to Fr. George Daly has become part of the vocations project for religious vocations in the Archdiocese of Toronto.

Under the Toronto Serra Travelling Vocations Chalice Program, families sign up at their parish to take a chalice home for a week to pray for vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life. A vocations prayer, a pamphlet of the mysteries of the rosary and a biography accompany the chalice, enshrined in a plexiglass case, as part of the remembrance of the priest who used the chalice.

Donated to the Edmonton-Toronto Archives by the Sisters of Service in 2012, Fr. Daly’s chalice, the second in the program, will be placed at Padre Pio parish, northwest of Toronto. Provincial Superior Fr. Mark Miller selected the chalice, which was inscribed on the occasion of Fr. Daly’s golden jubilee of ordination in 1948.

For the English-speaking Redemptorists, Fr. Daly (1872-1956) was a major figure with a focused vision to expand the Church’s presence among immigrants following the First World War. A native of Montréal, he grew up in the Belgium Redemptorist parish of St. Ann’s. At the age of 16, he entered Novitiate in St. Trond, Belgium, where he professed first vows on October 5, 1890. After ordination on September 10, 1898, he returned to Canada in 1900 as a rising bilingual star with much potential. During the next 12 years at the minor seminary at Ste.-Anne-de-Beaupré, a series of appointments followed as socius, prefect of students and as seminary director.

In 1912, Fr. Daly returned to his home parish of St. Ann’s in Montréal as its first rector under the new Vice-Province of Toronto. He organized an orphanage and kindergarten as well as supported St. Ann’s Young Men’s Association. As part of the English-Canadian Redemptorist expansion into Western Canada, he was sent in 1915 as rector of the newly-built Holy Rosary Cathedral in Regina. In this farthest west of the Redemptorist Canadian foundations, Fr. Daly used every minute to learn and travel about the booming area, which was dominated by the Protestant and English culture. He gave retreats in the poorest areas and established the Catholic Truth Society in Saskatchewan. However, it was his free-wheeling ways, use of modern technology of telephones and automobiles, friendships with politicians and bishops as well as his public appearances for the war effort which caused his superiors to conclude that Fr. Daly did not have the proper humility and adherence to poverty.

Removed abruptly in 1918, he was transferred as a missionary to St. Peter’s, Saint John, where he wrote Catholic Problems in Western Canada, which outlined plans for the Canadian Church’s expansion in the West. A prolific writer, Fr. Daly published four other books as well as numerous articles.

In 1922, Fr. Daly was assigned to raise funds and find candidates for a new women’s religious community, the Sisters of Service. For the next 34 years until his death, Fr. Daly guided the spiritual life of the community, oversaw its financial matters and the founding of 32 missions, which provided the Church’s presence among immigrants. With a beaming smile, outstretched hand, boundless energy, an apostle’s determination along with an executive’s organizational skill, Fr. Daly possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and engaging personality.

For the Toronto Province as consultor in two three-year terms (1936-1942), Fr. Daly was involved in the decisions to continue the Western Canadian expansion in Dawson Creek, BC (1936); Williams Lake, BC (1938); Nelson, BC (1939); Athabasca, AB (1940) as well as the temporary pastoral care in Wells, BC (1941) and Claresholm, AB (1941) during the Second World War.

When he died of cancer on June 3, 1956 in St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Fr. Daly was the oldest confrere in the Toronto Province at the age of 83. In a filled St. Patrick’s church, Cardinal James McGuigan of Toronto sang the Solemn High Mass and delivered the sermon, noting Fr. Daly’s contribution to Catholic Canada. His body is buried in the Redemptorist plot at Mount Hope cemetery, Toronto.

By MC Havey, Archivist (all photos courtesy of the Archives)

The joy, which Fr. Clark McAulay spread throughout his life, was captured at the Mass of Resurrection in St. Patrick’s church, Toronto, on November 24.

Masterfully intermingling humourous anecdotes in his homily, Fr. William Fitzgerald recounted the Redemptorist life of Fr. McAulay, who died on November 20 at Providence Healthcare, Toronto. Fr. Fitzgerald capsulized Fr. McAulay’s priestly life into the three ministries of friendship, preaching God’s good news and music and song.

Within the Redemptorist community, Fr. McAulay brought pleasantness, graciousness, an absence of complaints, numerous anecdotes, often self-depreciating and a civility with cheery greetings during the day, Fr. Fitzgerald added. A total of 10 confreres concelebrated the Mass with Vicar Provincial Fr. Santo Arrigo as the main celebrant.

At the funeral reception, parishioners and close friends from three parishes, where he served – St. Patrick’s, Quebec City (pastor 1966-1981 and 1988-1999); St. Teresa’s, St. John’s (1981-1984) and Holy Redeemer, Sudbury, ON (pastor 1984-1988) – paid similar tributes, recalling his pastoral presence during his appointments and afterwards in happy and sad times.

Perhaps Fr. McAulay’s roots in Prince Edward Island accounted for his sunny personality. Born on August 10, 1924 in Charlottetown, Fr. McAulay, one of 10 children, grew up in St. Dunstan’s Basilica parish, where he received the first sacraments, sang in the boys’ choir, served at the altar and celebrated his First Solemn Mass.  His body returned to St. Dunstan’s on November 28 for the Mass of Christian Burial, celebrated by Fr. Charles Chevrier, a long time friend, and with Brother Frank Dunphy wearing his Redemptorist habit as the First Reader. Celtic music, a lone fiddler and the Basilica choir filled the 109-year-old church with music loved by Fr. McAulay.  Burial followed at the Redemptorist plot in the city’s Catholic cemetery.   

Educated at Queen’s Square primary school, he attended St. Dunstan’s High School and St. Dunstan’s University, graduating in 1947 with a bachelor of arts. While considering a vocation during university, he began attending Mother of Perpetual Help devotions at the Redemptorist parish of Holy Redeemer. Upon deciding to study for the Redemptorist priesthood, he attended St. Mary’s College, the Redemptorist juvenate in Brockville, ON (1947-1948) and entered the Redemptorist novitiate (1948-1949) at St. Alphonsus seminary in Woodstock, ON, where he professed first vows on August 2, 1949 and was ordained on June 29, 1952.

During studies in Rome (1953-1956), he dined with Cardinal Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII, in Venice and earned a J.C.L. (doctorate) in canon law at Lateran University. Back in Canada as professor of canon law at the Woodstock seminary (1956-1957) and Holy Redeemer College, Windsor, ON (1957-1966), Fr. McAulay was well-prepared, punctual but strict, noted Fr. Fitzgerald, one of his students.

When the seminary closed, Fr. McAulay began four decades of parish appointments. “In each parish, he lived among the people as a missionary disciple,” Fr. Fitzgerald observed, “He loved each one.” Known for preaching, McAulay delivered short, clear homilies. Marieileen McCabe of Toronto appreciated “his simple but powerful three-sentence homilies that we could never forget.  I tried to persuade him to write them down and I would type them up for publication, but he always felt he was not worthy.” Fr. Fitzgerald recalled another parishioner’s description of Fr. McAulay ending the homily poignantly and dramatically with the closing of the book and a slow walk back to his chair on the sanctuary.

At St. Patrick’s, Québec City in 1999, he was immortalized with a bronze bust (pictured at left), sculpted by his friend Anglican Archdeacon Peter Joyce and sits at the back of the church. Upon seeing the sketches of the bust, Fr. McAulay asked if more hair could be placed on the bald head.

Moving to St. Peter’s parish, Saint John (1999-2006), he provided pastoral care at St. Bridget’s church, the parish’s cherished church in Chapel Grove. During this time, his ministry of music and song blossomed. A gifted tenor, he joined the music scene, singing solo and in choirs at city concerts, often in sold-out performances. To raise funds for a church building and renovation project at Chapel Grove, the 80-year-old Fr. McAulay recorded Irish, Scottish and English folk songs on a CD, entitled Songs of My Spirit.

After the Redemptorists’ departure from the Saint John parish, Fr. McAulay lived at St. Patrick’s, Toronto (2006-2015). In declining health, he moved to Providence Healthcare, Toronto in May 2015 and received a summer visit from Superior General Michael Brehl, a confrere from a joint appointment to St. John’s in the early 1980s.

By Fr. Ray Douziech, C.Ss.R.

Let your face shine on us and we shall be saved!

We have a new icon in our chapel. It is the face of Christ. It is a copy of the oldest known icon of Christ, which hangs in the monastery of Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula. What I find striking about the icon are the eyes of Christ. When I first spent time looking at the icon I felt intimidated. I felt vulnerable and exposed to those penetrating eyes. Christ’s eyes seem to look into the depths of my soul. His eyes looked past my masks and seemed to see all my foibles, weaknesses, guilt and shame. Yet, the more I looked into His eyes the more it felt that His eyes were not judging me. In fact, they were embracing me with tenderness and compassion. The more I allowed Him to look at me, the more I was able to trust that he was looking at me with love. I felt fully and lovingly seen.

St. John of the Cross, speaks about God looking at us. Saint John maintains that there are four effects from being seen by God. God’s look cleanses us, enriches us, endows us with grace, and enlightens us. Being seen by God transforms us.

Being seen by Christ transforms us. The gaze of Christ grasps us and his eyes allow us to enter into the mystery of the Incarnation. Half of His face reflects the human dimension and the other half the divine. As we look upon the icon we are moved to contemplate the mystery of God’s love poured out in Jesus, the mystery of our Redemption. Jesus becomes the mirror of God’s compassion in our midst.

We were fortunate to have met Ria Kinghorn through her husband Deacon Robert Kinghorn who has helped us with pastoral placements for the novices. Ria is an iconographer. Visiting Ria is a treat as it offers an opportunity to see her work and appreciate her exquisite skills at writing icons. We were so impressed that we asked Ria if she would consider writing an icon for our chapel. She readily agreed.

We decided that the Christo Pantocrator was the icon we wanted with a focus on the face of Christ. The result was an expression of devotion and skill. The halo alone required more than 3,000 tapings. The gold was imported from Europe and the frame commissioned to McMaster Gallery here in Toronto. The icon is mounted on plywood painted with acid free black.

The icon is paired and is the same size as the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. We decided to remove the frame on OLPH and mount the icon on a black backing so that both icons match. We were reminded that icons are not framed pictures. Therefore, we needed to mount them in such as way that the icon stood seemingly apart from a frame. The outcome is that our chapel is now graced with the tender eyes of OLPH and those of her Son. Both embrace us with the assurance of God’s love.

By MC Havey, Archivist

On the Feast of Christ the King, an icon of Christ Pantocrator was blessed in the chapel of the Interprovincial Novitiate in Toronto.

The creator of the icon, Ria Kinghorn, a Toronto iconographer and her husband, Deacon Robert Kinghorn of nearby St. Margaret’s church, attended the special liturgy, presided by Novice Director Fr. Raymond Douziech.

In Christian iconography, the Christ Pantocrator is the oldest existing icon and was written in the sixth century. Preserved at St. Catherine’s monastery in Mount Sinai, Egypt, it portrays Christ as the ruler of the universe, a righteous judge and lover of mankind.

The Toronto icon, which measures 21 inches in height and 16 inches in width, is a head-and-shoulders portrait, which Mrs. Kinghorn sought to create as a compassionate, majestic image. She noted: “The facial characteristics of icons are exaggerated to show that they are from another reality since we have no other means to express this dimension which is why the eyes are larger and the nose longer and mouth smaller. It’s also interesting to note that in this particular Icon of the Pantocrator, the face has two distinct styles if split down the middle, to suggest the humanity and divinity of Christ.”

She explained her technique: “The board is prepared with a gesso base; then the background only is in fact gilded with 2 layers of 24kt. gold leaf that is burnished to a high sheen. The actual painting of Jesus is done directly on gesso.”

In consultation with Frs. Douziech and Ronnie Bonneau, assistant Novice Director, the book of Gospels was not included. The design of the halo is a copy of the Icon in the chapel of the Redemptorist retreat centre in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

The commission to write the icon came as a friendly challenge from Fr. Douziech during a conversation at an event of Friends of the Street, a support group organized by her husband, which members of the novitiate attend at St. Margaret’s parish. Upon hearing of Mrs. Kinghorn’s upcoming retreat at Oconomowoc, Fr. Douziech suggested that she examine the Christ Pantocrator icon in the retreat center chapel, adding: “If you can paint that, I’ll commission you.”

An iconographer for a decade, Mrs. Kinghorn, who has worked at St. Augustine’s seminary in the diaconate program, was introduced to the art by the wife of a diaconate candidate. Her first icon, Our Lady of Tenderness, was completed during a week-long session in the wife’s basement studio. To gain experience and expertise, courses and training have followed, including attending a session by Brother Dan Korn on a visit to Toronto. She constantly consults with other iconographers, especially a Russian mentor, discussing colours and techniques. Of iconography, “I fell in love with it,” she simply stated. “It’s a passion.”

The pictures below show the icon through different stages of the work.

By Bertilla Watanabe

First it was the rust and crimson colours of fall and now the twinkly lights of Christmas which are beckoning parishioners and passersby alike, to stop and stay a while at the newly landscaped garden of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish.

Ever since the grotto was installed for the 150th Anniversary of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the garden has become a focal point for parish celebrations. The parish’s Advent season began with a beautiful concert by parish choirs with the theme of light. The congregation processed to the nativity scene on the lawn for an official light-up of the church and garden after the music. Children and adults were thrilled. Hot chocolate with marshmallows warmed up cold hands. It was a lovely way to begin the preparations for Christmas.

Situated on the north lawn of the church and graced by a Marian shrine, the sacred garden around the OLPH grotto is becoming a quiet attraction for adults and an irresistible place for children to run around and play. Perhaps, it’s the way the graceful figure of Our Lady gently draws all the beauty of the natural setting towards herself. The Japanese maple, so appealing all-year round but simply stunning when it turns bright crimson in the Fall, is a beautiful backdrop for the grey stone of the grotto and the white sculpture of Mary.

OLPH Pastor Fr. Babu Mathew has had a hands-on approach in creating this space. He and his confreres spent several hours digging trenches for the lighting cables over the summer.

“The idea was to create a space which would help people glorify God by simply enjoying nature…the plants, the trees, the water…all in the presence of our Blessed Mother. The idea of using hewn and polished rock is also part of the whole experience of being part of nature,” said Fr. Mathew.

“This garden is part of caring for our common home, Laudato Si! It is very appropriate that we should be working on it not very long after the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical.”

The search for rocks, shrubs and trees began in Squamish. The ground in front of the shrine was leveled and paved for easy wheelchair access. Bluestone was cut and shaped to lead the casual wanderer to the Blessed Virgin’s feet and under her gentle gaze. A variety of unusual dogwoods were planted to create a natural grove that would complement the vista of the grotto. The choice of shrubs and trees were designed to kindle the senses with colour and fragrance. The Katsura tree releases a delicate scent in the fall. One of the Japanese maples with lovely fall foliage is called Koto no Ito which translates to “harp strings”. A perfect setting for angels.

Gardener and landscaper Deborah Trudel oversaw the planning and planting of trees and shrubs to complement the grotto. Integral to the concept was the creation of a space intimate for private prayer but not closed off to the public. Small rhododendrons, shrubs, ferns and ground cover, contribute to the sense of peace around the gurgling water from the rock waterfall.

Said Fr. Babu Mathew, “One of the things which moves me is that this spiritual space is created by people who don’t necessarily share the same faith background we do yet they contribute in a very profound way, connecting us all at a deeper level. That alone means we are speaking to a larger community.”

What a wonderful way to bring joy to the world this Christmas season!

By Anne Walsh

You never know where life will take you! In October 2015, I knew that my name was one of three proposed from the Redemptorist Conference of North America to serve as the lay representative of the Conference at the XXV General Chapter in Pattaya, Thailand. I knew that these names, along with three names from each of the other four conferences would be forwarded to the General Council in Rome, and that they would choose one from each list to be the lay representatives at the Chapter. I was excited, but I never really thought that my name would be chosen; after all, there were some pretty stellar names on that list! So, imagine my surprise when I got an e-mail from the Superior General informing me that I would be the lay representative from North America! I learned that I would join Jose Antonio Hidalgo (Latin America), Rafael Junquera (Europe), Roksan Latorre (Asia/Oceania) and Malcolm Salida (Africa/Madascar). Fr. Mike Brehl told me that we would all soon be receiving reflection questions and guidelines from Fr. Enrique Lopez to help us to frame our reflections and begin to build our presentation to the Chapter.

We were all anxious to get to know one another, and so we introduced ourselves to one another by e-mail, and told stories of our lives and of our connection to the Redemptorists. We kept up this e-mail friendship and sharing over the months leading up to the General Chapter. As we received our reflection questions and specific instructions, we shared our insights and musings, and then our prepared statements, with one another. We also “friended” each other on Facebook. I invited all five to join the Facebook page that we have set up for Redemptorist Associates in Canada. So… if you’re a member, and have noticed some unfamiliar names, this might be the reason!

As November drew closer, it began to dawn on me that I was going to Thailand. The King and I, the Land of Smiles, the land of temples and elephants. And…I was going to be present at my second General Chapter! The intimidation factor kicked in. I began to wonder about what I would say. What could I offer that would be meaningful, helpful, constructive? How could I be part of moving forward this great effort that is Partnership in and for Mission? Oh, the pressure! And then, sanity returned, and I knew that I was being given the most wonderful opportunity to be among the leadership of our worldwide Redemptorist family, to meet them and to renew old friendships, to reflect together, to come to new understandings, to frame new ways of thinking and speaking, and to begin to make a path forward with this extraordinary group. The journey across the Pacific was 26 hours of joyful anticipation. In a very real way, though I’d never been to Thailand, in a very real sense, I was going home.

I landed in Pattaya in the middle of the night. Everything looked strange and unfamiliar, and it was not until the next morning that I began to get my bearings. Fr. Mike Brehl e-mailed and promised to meet me and guide me to breakfast, and he did, showing me around the property and introducing me to the delegates and staff. It quickly became apparent to me how many of these people I knew from other moments and places on the journey. I didn’t feel awkward at all, but immediately felt welcomed and included and caught up in the momentum of the Chapter. Old friends took me for walks, for coffee and sat with me at meals, catching me up on the work and emerging themes. New friends joined the circles, and I gained a new appreciation for the reality of the Redemptorist family.

By the second night, all five lay participants had arrived, and Fr. Enrique gathered with us to frame our work for the next few days. We were to fully participate in the sessions, in small groups and in the plenary sessions. And the five of us were to meet on our own in between sessions and begin to frame the process of Thursday morning, when we would be able to make a presentation to Chapter and then form a panel to assist the delegates to plumb the major issues around Partnership in and for Mission.

What a great experience it was to work with these four dedicated lay Redemptorist missionaries from across the globe, and to experience the camaraderie and creativity as we developed our input session and prepared for the panel discussion.

I enjoyed every moment of the days leading up to our presentation. It was energizing to sit in the assembly hall, and to be part of those discussions. I loved being able to participate in the small group discussions. It was great to re-connect with the Irish confreres with whom I’ve been so often and so deeply involved, and to spend time with the members of our own North American region.

It was especially moving for me to be there when Fr. Mike Brehl was re-elected as Superior General. The election and the following Mass at which he took his second oath of office were quite emotional for me. And I was also present when the six members of the General Council were elected, and able to congratulate them all right on the spot.

Another very moving experience for me were the many conversations with Redemptorists from all over the globe, hearing their life stories and learning of the ways in which they lived in mission. It was fantastic. And we were offered the opportunity to tour the many services and programs that make up the Redemptorist Foundation and the Father Ray Centre in Pattaya—a School for the Blind, a Vocational School for people with physical disabilities, a job placement centre, bakery, day care, children’s village and children’s home. At each place, we were offered a chance to experience what these young people and their teachers can do, to talk with them and to celebrate life with them. It was real and very meaningful, in the midst of the often absorbing meetings, to be immersed in the real work of redemption and the proclamation of the Good News. What a privilege it was!

On Thursday, I was honoured to be asked by my peers to make our presentation before Chapter, to frame the conversation that would follow, and to take the first clarifying questions. It was both exhilarating and moving as I felt the respect and the attention that the delegates gave to the presentation. In the panel discussion that followed, the questions were honest and probing, and very, very real, as we reflected on our lived experience of partnership in and for mission, and explored possibilities for the way forward. So absorbed were we all in the dialogue that we actually ran out of time for questions. What a great indication of the interest and passion our common dedication to and participation in the mission engenders among us!

In the end, we made some recommendations for reflections and action on the part of the capitulars, and we left the assembly with the following statement of hope and longing:

We long for the realization of a real Redemptorist charismatic family, a true communion, one missionary body of lay and professed Redemptorists.

To see the Lay Missionaries’ presentation at the Chapter, click here. To see an interview of Anne Walsh by Fr. Mark Miller, click here.